Podcast Summary
From Rejection to Success: John's Journey to TV: Determination and persistence can lead to great success despite initial rejection. Produce a compelling demo and don't give up.
Determination and persistence can lead to great success, even when faced with rejection. John, the guest on this episode of AskGaryVee, shares his story of being told he would never make it on television due to his age and appearance. Instead of giving up, he produced his own sizzle reel and shopped it around to production companies. Within a week, he had four offers and the show, "Bar Rescue," premiered on TV less than a year later. John's background in the restaurant industry and experience giving speeches helped him excel in his role as a television personality. The show, which has been running for six years, has been watched by over 90 million Americans and is now available on 5,000 channels and 5 continents in 6 languages. John's story serves as a reminder that setbacks and rejection don't define our future, but rather our response to them.
Stay true to expertise and understand business fundamentals: Success relies on the individual leader's expertise, passion, and openness to advice, as well as understanding business basics like margins and shelf play.
Success in business comes down to the individual at the helm. The speaker, an operator and content producer, emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's expertise and understanding the fundamentals of business, such as margins and shelf play. He believes that every failing business stems from a failing owner, and the key to success lies in overcoming personal obstacles and being open to advice. The speaker's passion for helping others win, whether it's through his TV show or mentoring app developers, highlights the importance of caring and believing in oneself and one's abilities. Ultimately, fear and pride are powerful motivators, and harnessing these emotions can help business owners overcome challenges and turn their ventures around.
Staying true to your beliefs and values: Authenticity and standing firm on your beliefs can lead to success, even if it means going against the norm or cliches. Empathy and understanding the universe of your project are also important.
Authenticity and standing firm on your beliefs, even when faced with opposition, can lead to success. Gary Vaynerchuk shared a story about a time when he told a network executive to go "fuck himself" during the filming of Bar Rescue, leading to the production being shut down. However, he took control of the situation and ultimately continued to protect the reality of the show, which contributed to its longevity. The importance of empathy and understanding the universe of the show also played a role in its success. Additionally, Gary emphasized the importance of telling stories that resonate with people and being true to yourself, even if it means going against the norm or cliches.
Effective Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses: Make a strong first impression with eye-catching signage and engaging on social media. Focus on unique selling points and directly engage with potential customers. Allocate time to manage social media in-house despite it not being a natural strength.
Effective marketing for a business involves attracting attention, creating interest, and ultimately convincing customers to make a purchase. Nick, a business owner from Wildwood, New Jersey, shared his experience of starting a new restaurant and the importance of getting the word out without spending a fortune. He emphasized the need to make a strong first impression by creating eye-catching signage and engaging with potential customers on social media. Nick suggested using Instagram to engage with individuals who are posting content about Wildwood, New Jersey, and directly messaging or commenting on their posts. He also recommended focusing on what the business is known for, in his case, gourmet burgers, and creating signs that highlight the unique selling points. Additionally, Nick shared his frustration with outsourcing social media management and the importance of allocating time to manage it in-house. He acknowledged the importance of being present in the social media space, especially for businesses in the hospitality industry, despite it not being his natural strength. In summary, attracting attention, creating a strong first impression, and engaging with potential customers on social media are key components of effective marketing for a business. It may require some effort and a learning curve, but the potential rewards can be significant.
Using Social Media to Communicate Effectively: Successful communication on social media comes naturally for some, but putting in effort and sharing positive experiences can lead to a large following.
Communication is a natural ability for some people, and finding the right platform to express it can lead to success. The speaker, who is a successful communicator and TV personality, believes that if someone puts in the effort to engage on social media, they would find it comes naturally due to their DNA. He admires the speaker's ability to communicate and inspires him to start using social media more effectively. The speaker may not be as comfortable in the social media environment as in front of a live audience, but the context and dominance of his ability in that space will make him successful. He suggests using social media to share positive experiences and praise well-executed projects, creating a second path for building a following. For example, a 13-year-old boy who loves basketball and is starting to use Snapchat could create an Instagram account and have a friend with a large following in the basketball space promote it. This could lead to a life-changing experience for the boy.
Disney's Impact on Career and Emotional Intelligence: Disney taught emotional intelligence and people analysis skills that shaped this individual's career, from understanding audiences to building online communities.
Disney was a formative experience for this individual, not just because of the exceptional training they received, but also because they learned the importance of emotional intelligence and analyzing people's behavior. This experience helped shape their career, particularly in their ability to understand and connect with others. The conversation also touched upon the impact of social media and how it can significantly boost one's online presence. The individual expressed excitement about helping a 13-year-old gain recognition and build a community around his passion. Reflecting on his career, the individual shared that he didn't work for a standout organization but rather worked with Disney on social media projects. He emphasized the depth of training and commitment to customer service that Disney instilled in its employees, even for those in supporting roles. Early in his career, the individual's interest in politics and cultural anthropology led him to the industry. He developed a knack for analyzing people based on their landing points and using that understanding to build connections. This skill proved valuable in various aspects of his career, including the editing process of television shows and his interactions with colleagues and audiences.
Unexpected monetization opportunities on social media: Leverage unexpected social media opportunities for long-term growth, consider business models, and aim for sustainable income streams.
Social media can provide unexpected opportunities for monetization, but it's essential to consider how to leverage these opportunities for long-term growth. In the conversation, a father discussed how a photo of his 4-year-old son ended up on 90 billboards worldwide after being licensed by Apple. While the financial gain was a welcome surprise, the father was looking for ways to build on this opportunity and create a sustainable business. He could have used this moment to create engagement and build a following by making the experience interactive for his audience. The father acknowledged the vulnerability of relying on social media platforms for income and the importance of deciding on a business model, whether it be building an agency, a product, or a personal brand. Ultimately, the father's goal was to become a thought leader on parenting and use his platform to make a difference in the world. However, in the short term, he recognized the need to monetize his content to support his family. The conversation highlights the importance of being strategic and considering the long-term implications of social media opportunities.
Gain authentic experience before building a personal brand: To build a successful personal brand, gain real-life experience, document your journey, and provide value to others through authenticity.
Building a successful personal brand, particularly in the area of fatherhood, requires authenticity and experience. John and the speaker both emphasized the importance of putting in the work and gaining real-life experience before trying to monetize or build a following. The speaker suggested getting a job as a social media manager for someone who is already successful in the desired field as a way to learn the ropes and build a solid foundation. He also acknowledged the importance of documenting and sharing the journey to prove authenticity to potential followers. Additionally, he warned against trying to fake expertise or authority prematurely, as it may not be sustainable or respected in the long run. Ultimately, the key to success is to stay true to oneself and focus on providing value to others through genuine experience and authenticity.
The Road to Success is Long and Requires Patience and Dedication: Success takes time, effort, and dedication. Learn from successful examples or put in the work to build your brand or business slowly.
Building a successful brand or business requires immense patience, dedication, and hard work. Gary Vaynerchuk shares his experience of producing content for Wine Library TV for years before it gained significant traction. He advises those starting out to either put in the time and effort to build their brand or business slowly, or to learn from successful examples by working for them. He emphasizes that there's no shortcut to success and that it takes a lifetime to build a strong brand or business. He also mentions that natural talent is important but hard work and dedication are crucial factors in achieving success. For small business owners, he suggests learning from successful marketing geniuses and gaining context by sharing specific details about their business, such as years in operation and sales figures.
Focus on creating reactions, not just products: In business, eliciting customer reactions is crucial for success, whether in food industry or content creation. Share behind-the-scenes, engage with current events, and tell a compelling story to connect emotionally with customers.
Creating reactions is the true product in business, whether it's in the food industry or content creation. The speaker emphasized the importance of focusing on eliciting reactions from customers, rather than just producing a product or content. They discussed their success with their barbecue business and the need to continually strive for improvement, even when sales are strong. They also highlighted the power of storytelling and creating curiosity online to attract customers. The speaker criticized their own lack of consistent Instagram posting and encouraged sharing behind-the-scenes content and engaging with current events or popular culture to generate interest. Overall, the conversation emphasized the importance of connecting with customers on an emotional level and using various marketing channels to tell a compelling story.
Effectively engaging with audience on Instagram: Creating unique content, using professional food photography, strategic hashtag usage, consistent posting, starting a podcast, and increasing guest frequency can significantly improve business on Instagram
Creating high-quality content and engaging with your audience effectively on social media platforms like Instagram can significantly improve your business. The speaker emphasized the importance of making content from scratch and telling a compelling story to connect with your followers. He also suggested using best practices such as professional food photography and strategic hashtag usage. Furthermore, the speaker advised producing consistent content across multiple platforms and considering starting a podcast to expand your reach. Lastly, increasing guest frequency by even one visit per month can lead to a substantial revenue boost. Overall, the speaker's advice emphasizes the importance of investing time and effort into social media marketing to grow your business.
Effectively communicating value to customers: Convince customers of commensurate value to increase frequency and grow business, use social media for effective branding and communication, and test strategies to find what works best.
Increasing customer frequency and effectively communicating the value of your offerings are key to growing your business, especially in a competitive market. Pricing should not be a barrier if you can convince customers of the commensurate value. Additionally, leveraging social media platforms like Instagram for branding and value communication can be more effective than traditional advertising, which often comes with higher customer acquisition costs. Don't make assumptions about your market or customer base, and be willing to test different strategies to find what works best for your business.
Incentivize repeat business with red napkin: Identify first-time customers with a red napkin, offer incentives for second and third visits to increase repeat business, and create a welcoming environment to connect with customers for a significant return on investment.
Effective restaurant marketing goes beyond just one visit. By identifying first-time customers with a red napkin and offering incentives for second and third visits, restaurants can increase the likelihood of repeat business. This approach, as discussed, can lead to a significant return on investment, with a 70% chance of a fourth visit. Traditional marketing methods, such as offering discounts only to new customers, can create friction among loyal customers. Instead, targeting customers with a large social media following and offering personalized incentives can create word-of-mouth marketing and cause minimal friction. Overall, the key is to create a welcoming environment, connect with customers, and provide incentives to encourage repeat business.
Transforming a small business through social media and valuable content: Leveraging social media and creating valuable content can lead to significant business growth, even with a small investment. Focus on providing value to customers instead of discounting products.
Leveraging social media and creating valuable content can lead to significant business growth, even with a small investment. The speaker shared his personal experience of transforming his business from a tent on the side of the road to a brick-and-mortar establishment, with the help of inspirational content from Gary Vaynerchuk and other resources. He emphasized the importance of not discounting products and instead focusing on providing value to customers. The speaker also encouraged entrepreneurs to learn from each other and shared his upcoming tour to teach small business owners how to increase revenues. Overall, the conversation emphasized the power of hard work, resilience, and continuous learning in achieving business success.
